A Florida man has been charged with manslaughter in the beating death of his father, which occurred after the two had a disagreement over a plate of food.
According to the arrest complaint, Julien Welch-Beddoe, 19, had a physical argument with his father, Francis Welch, 45, on the night of January 19. Welch-Beddoe told police that the incident started when the younger man went to make himself “a plate” of food.
The older dad allegedly informed his son “that he didn’t deserve to have it because he wasn’t working.” Welch-Beddoe fixed himself dinner anyhow, and when he carried the meal to his bedroom, Welch “pushed him.”
The physical altercation escalated when Welch-Beddoe allegedly put his father in a headlock and hit him “two to three times” in the ribcage. The boy also allegedly put his father in a chokehold on the floor. Welch’s fiancée attempted to intercede, and the two were separated. Welch-Beddoe returned to his bedroom.
According to the affidavit, shortly after Welch and his fiancee were left alone, Welch-Beddoe heard his father’s girlfriend cry, “This isn’t a joke!” When the son returned to the living room to investigate what was going on, he discovered that his father was “unresponsive.”
Welch’s condition was described in the affidavit as “breathing through his mouth” and “appeared to turn yellow/pale.” At that point, they requested medical aid.
Welch was transported to Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, where he was pronounced dead after midnight on January 20. Welch-Beddoe subsequently stopped cooperating with authorities and refused to speak without a lawyer, according to the affidavit.
An autopsy found that Welch died as a result of internal bleeding in his spleen caused by a laceration from one of his three broken ribs. The death was declared a homicide.
Welch-Beddoe was charged with manslaughter and jailed on February 5. He was placed into Brevard County Jail on a $50,000 bond. His next court date is March 25.
